What’s Your Body Hair Grooming Routine?

There are as many differing opinions on the removal or maintenance of body hair as there are people with it, but sometimes those opinions surprise you. We spoke to 15 women–some friends, some we barely knew (which was exciting)–about what they do to their armpits, legs, upper lips and (especially) pubic hair.

We’ve broken down their responses into three different categories: Regular Cat (as in, cats with hair), Shaved Cat (cats from Brazil who only have a little) and Hairless Cats (who are fucking adorable). Also, if you think it’s infantile to use cats to represent parts of the female body: get your mind out of the gutter, it’s not a euphamism for pussy. It’s the internet. Cat pictures just do really well.

I am a naturally pretty non-hairy person, so things like shaving my arms never occurred to me (yes, there’s very fine hair on them, the same dark color as the rest of my hair, but you have to be within a foot of my arm to see it). My eyebrows are perhaps the one part of my face that turned out just right, naturally, so I don’t pluck them. I shave my underarms maybe every other day, my legs about once a week – maybe slightly more in the summer. I do the bikini line and keep my pubic hair short enough that it doesn’t have enough length to curl, but I don’t like not having any at all (and the one time I was embarrassed about its being kind of long, the guy I was with gave me a funny look, told me he didn’t care, and promptly put his face in it). I also do the big toes, when I think of it. But overall I’m not the hairiest person so I don’t see the point in worrying about it too much or too often.

sarahk

Pluck eyebrows daily as they’re thick, black and waxing is a waste of money because they grow so fast. Had upper lip laser hair removal…ed? as it was dark and thick like my eyebrows. Shave armpits and legs. Wax and trim bikini area. I tried a Brazilian once and was too weirded out by the sensation of my underwear right against skin.

Heather

I am a hairy girl, and this is something that haunted me growing up. However, I am not about to remove something that is naturally part of my body on a regular basis. When I go to the beach, I’ll maintain my hair (I’m telling you, it’s pretty wild down there), because I don’t like to feel self-conscious. I definitely shave my legs in the summer, but if I were blonde I probably wouldn’t. I bleach and tweeze my upper lip, tweeze my eyebrows a little, and shave my armpits like every week or so. But the pubes stay! I shaved them once (thanks, high school boyfriend) and developed an ingrown hair that lasted for TEN YEARS. Maybe I shouldn’t have picked at it…but anyway, hair is sexy. As for people who think hair looks dirty, well, that’s kind of confusing. Keep it clean, and it won’t be dirty.

Gutiesc

There’s a lot of vagina talk around here but does anyone shave their arms? Am I alone in this world?

Ava

I shave mine everytime I shower! IDK why, but arm hair gives me the creeps. Not on dudes though. Just on me.

K

I guess I’m a frenchie, or a persian cat if we’re sticking with the cat theme. I don’t shave anything. If someone other than my doctor or myself is going to see my girly bits, then I’ll trim my pubes. I stopped shaving my legs and arm pits ages ago though. I’m never stubbly. I don’t have to worry about fresh razors or running out of shaving cream. I’m lessening my carbon footprint by reducing shower time and disposable products. It really feels like a win all around.

The last few times I shaved were for major events in other people’s lives, like my sister’s wedding in which I was a bridesmaid with a sleeveless dress. It didn’t feel appropriate to have attention that potentially would have been on my sister on my hairy pits instead. Honestly, it made me feel very pre-pubescent. I like my body hair. I’m a grown woman. It’s supposed to be there.

rox

I do not see how full armpit hair is more desirable than being “stubbly”

Jamie B

Wow. Um. Yeah.
I don’t really see how hair is inherently gross. They do make SOAP.
I don’t see the point of shaving upper legs and forearms (or upper arms I guess) – but I have light hair. I could see how women with darker hair could be self-conscious of the arm-hair. And nobody sees my upper legs but me or my hubby. I’ve never been a fan of shaving, and like I said, I have light hair, so I only need to shave my lower legs every now and then, and even when it gets “long,” it’s impossible to see.
Being “bald” down there is a strange feeling, and I feel like any men who prefer that are probably pedophiles. I guess if a woman likes it like that it’s her business, but it also seems like all the “hairless cats” were pretty judgey of other women… so fuck them.
Pit hair, I will admit, is pretty damn gross. LOL.

In conclusion, hair is normal and good as long as you use soap, shaving is mostly a waste of my time, and the only women you interviewed who seemed like normal women with an actual life were the “regular cats.”

Whitney

I disagree that “men who prefer (the “bald” look) are probably pedophiles.” a woman’s pubic area is nothing like a child’s; shaving does not render a woman’s pubis childlike. I can think of several reasons men might like the bald look: they like looking at women’s lady bits and this gives them an unobstructed view; they can see what they’re doing down there better, especially when giving oral sex; no pubic hairs caught in their teeth or throat.

I agree that being bald feels strange at first. But I’ve been doing it for 16 years, so it feels completely natural for me. It’s just a personal preference.

Tania

So much judging from either side. Kind of funny.

I suppose I’m kind of weird with my routine. I’ll shave it all off, let it grow until it starts to get a noticeable curl, and then shave it all off again. Legs when I remember, armpits every day.

KB

I just shave when I know somebody will see. My ladygarden is trimmed about once a week, and the bikini line well maintained. I also leave my arm hair as-is, though I wouldn’t mind an effective hair minimizing cream. You dig?

Rebekah Mae

I do not shave my vagina due to the fact that 1) I don’t want to look like a child or a pornstar and 2) There is hair there for a reason. I do trim it though. And if I’m going to the beach I’ll shave my bikini line but I almost never shave my legs. mainly due to the fact that my leg hair is extremely fine so you can’t really see it. I do however shave my armpits because I sweat a lot and I find that the hair makes it a lot worse in the sweating department and in the smell department (and yes I do use Deodorant lol)

Ava

I kind of have a horizontal landing strip situ going on? I don’t like hair. I shave everything. Literally, full body. I’m hairy though.

meems

i have really light colored skin and dark hair. oh and im middle eastern. so im pretty hairy. and i hate hair. i shave my entire body when i shower. i am a hairless cat because i think its easier for me to shave it all off instead of just doing the bikini line and trimming the rest. and i am not that skilled to make shapes out of my pubes. so i shave everything off. i feel more comfortable with a pube-less vagina.

Gabbi

Why is it, that many of the normal cats you are showing in those pictures seem to be peculiarly fat? Are we trying to make a statement there?

Goldie

What is it, that you have against fat cats? Are you trying to make a statement, that there is something wrong with fat cats? That fat cats, are special and therefore cannot be, regular? Or that, the mere sight of fat cats makes us, misplace commas?

Ashley Cardiff

You might also say that many of the shaved cats look dejected and ashamed.

Erin

that last one is a riot…totally agree! Also, I love the way you guys laid this out, with pictures of cats. Best post on body hair I’ve ever read (and I’ve read many)

Nancy

Wow, I feel bad for those of you with hair growing out of your vaginas. That must be a pain when you have your period. My hair just grows in the normal place, on my mons and on my labia majora.

Eileen

Okay, I actually lol’d at that.

Rebekah Mae

Eileen “lol’d” at this. And I LMAO at this.

Whitney

I shave/wax everywhere: Legs, full Brazilian, arms & armpits, upper lip, and eyebrows. I have very dark hair, but honestly I just do it because I like it. If your preference is to be au nauterele, rock on with that. Rock on with your landing strips or Vajazzling or pink braids or whatever it is that makes you feel good.

I just personally love the look and feel of a completely bare pubic area. I guess this makes me a skank and a slut? And hey, I’ll confess I am a bit skanky and slutty sometimes, but that has nothing to do with my choice of body grooming. Are we really so petty that we’ve taken to judging people based on the amount of pubic hair they choose to have?

eleanor

One day my boyfriend suggested we both shave our pubes completely off. I had never tried going bare before, so I was game and comforted by the fact that he was willing to go along with me. I have been bare ever since simply because I think it makes oral feel better and my sig other likes it. I am not bothered by catering my body hair to his liking because I, frankly, don’t have much of an opinion about it. I am a well-educated woman and am comfortable with my decision, because if I truly disliked the feel of baldness down there, I would grow it all back. And my boyfriend wouldn’t bat an eye.

i honestly think that it shuld be shaved especially if the guys gunna go down on u lol dont want a hairy va jay jay hahaha but it all depends on the person too sum ppl like it hairless sum ppl like it hairy especially wen it grows back hahahaa opinion vaires